Portulaca plant named ‘Pink Panther’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘Pink Panther’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit; freely branching growth habit; relatively rapid growth rate; double flower form; and pink-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Portulaca grandifloracultivar Pink Panther.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPortulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca grandiflora, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pink Panther’.

The new Portulaca is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Portulacas with interesting flowerforms and flower colors.

The new Portulaca is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of anunnamed selection of Portulaca grandiflora, not patented, that wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor during the summer of 2001 in acontrolled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, on the basis ofits pink-colored double flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in a controlledenvironment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since 2001, has shown that theunique features of this new Portulaca are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Pink Panther have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and culture such as temperature, lightintensity, and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pink Panther’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Pink Panther’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Relatively rapid growth rate.    -   4. Double flower form.    -   5. Pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the parent selection differed primarily from plants of the newPortulaca in flower form and coloration as plants of the parentselection had single orange and yellow-colored flowers. In addition,plants of the new Portulaca is more vigorous than plants of the parentselection.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the Portulacacultivar Cindy, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,605. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands, plants of the newPortulaca differed from plants of the cultivar Cindy primarily in flowercoloration as plants of the cultivar Cindy had yellow and orangebi-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproduction of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Portulaca.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Pink Panther’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical flower of ‘Pink Panther’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photgraphs and following observationsand measurements were planted into 15-cm containers and grown for aboutfour months during the fall in a glass-covered greenhouse in Aalsmeer,The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, the day and nighttemperatures averaged 20° C.

In the following description, color reference are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, Edition 1995, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca grandiflora cultivar Pink    Panther.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed    selection of Portulaca grandiflora, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 12 days at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit. Freely            branching with lateral branches potentially developing at            every node without pinching.        -   Growth rate.—Relatively rapid; about eight weeks are            required to produce a finished flowering plant in a 10-cm            container.        -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 to 35 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Internode length: About 1 to 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 1 to 3 cm. Width: About 4 to 10 mm. Shape: Oblong to            ovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; fleshy. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Petiole length: About 1 to 2 mm. Petiole            diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Developing foliage, upper            surface: 137B. Developing foliage, lower surface: 137C.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 138B. Venation, upper and lower            surfaces: 137C. Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: 146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Numerous double rotate flowers;            solitary or in clusters. Flowers face upright or outward.            Freely flowering with about 20 to 40 flowers and flower buds            per lateral branch. Flowers not persistent.        -   Time to flower.—Early flowering, plants begin to flower            about six weeks after planting.        -   Natural flowering season.—In the northern hemisphere, plants            flower during the summer and autumn; flowering recurrent            during this period.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.3 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 to 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 to            4 mm. Shape: Roughly ovoid. Color: 146C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Five petals in a single            whorl, surrounding 30 to 40 petaloids which are transformed            stamens and pistils. Petal length: About 1.2 to 1.5 cm.            Petal width: About 4 to 10 mm. Petal shape: Obovate. Petal            apex: Cuspidate. Petal base: Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny.            Petal color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 76D.            Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: 76D. Petaloid            length: About 5 to 11 mm. Petaloid width: About 2 to 3 mm.            Petaloid shape: Oblanceolate. Petaloid apex: Acute. Petaloid            base: Acuminate. Petaloid margin: Entire. Petaloid texture:            Smooth, satiny. Petaolid color, upper and lower surfaces:            Towards apex: 76C. Mid-section: 84C. Towards base: 76C.        -   Calyx.—Appearance: Two-cleft. Length: About 5 to 6 mm.            Diameter: About 3 to 4 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute.            Base: Cuneate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 to 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 to            2 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—No stamens or pistils observed;            reproductive organs transformed into petaloids.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed nor fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Portulaca have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Portulaca.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant named ‘Pink Panther’,as illustrated and described.